Outside Looking In
by princess-elli100
Summary: Jack is getting married, and has invited his brother to come stay with him to see the wedding. When his brother starts to fall for one of his best friends, Jack starts to realize that love is not always as easy as we want it to be.
1. Chapter 1

Jack sighed and wiped his brow as he looked across the fields. It was approaching the end of Spring, and his fields were still quite bountiful. He had just loaded up the last batch of turnips when he decided it was time to take a break to rewind. Walking past his field, he took the path back into the mountains and woods. He picked the wild Moondrop flowers that were growing just north of Gotz house.

After picking the flowers, he headed up the steps towards the waterfalls. Although it was Spring time, the humidity felt like it was Summer. He couldn't help but daydream about taking a nice long dip in the spa, but he couldn't today...at least not at the moment.

He approached the pond and through in one of the flowers he just picked. As expected, a beautiful woman appeared from out of the water. Her green hair gleamed as perfectly as ever, as did her skin, as though none of her body was affected by the abnormal humidity.

"Why, hello, Jack! I've been seeing you here quite often...and you brought me a gift!" she exclaimed. He couldn't help but notice the faint blush on her face. He smiled up at her and nodded. "

"You know...you have brought me quite a few gifts over the past year...who is it you like, Jack?" Jack grinned at the question. For being the Harvest Goddess, she didn't know much about what was going on around town.

"Well, Karen and I have been dating for quite a while now," he started. "It's just...I don't know if it's the right time.." he started to pull something out of his rucksack. The goddess got a glimpse of it and giggled.

"Ooooh! So you're going to take the big leap, huh? But you are nervous about her reaction...Very well," with that, she clasped her hands together. "No need to worry, Jack. I've got it under control,"

Jack sighed in relief. He loves Karen very much, and he knows she loves him too. Unfortunately, though, she's not much of the "commitment" type, so naturally Jack is nervous to pop the question. The goddess winked at him, and he smiled back with thanks.

After getting the goddess descended back into the water, he decided it was about time to head home. As he started back, he couldn't help but notice the spa again. 'Maybe just for a few minutes...' he thought.

Jack awoke to the feeling of warm water splashing his face and the sound of a familiar laugh he had grown to love. It was Karen.

"Jack, you silly boy! What are you doing sleeping in here?" She asked, grinning from ear to ear. He rubbed his head, for it was aching. He was lucky he hadn't passed out. He looked at his watch; he had been in the springs for around forty-five minutes. He rose up out of the spa.

"Man, I must have dozed off...had a long day in the fields, decided to come up here for a dip!" He left out the part about visiting the Goddess, of course. She just smiled and helped him out of the spring.

"So, I was thinking maybe we go out to eat tomorrow night?" she suggested. "At the Inn. Ann's got this dish she's just dying for me to try,"

He nodded, still a little dizzy from the heat. At least now he felt a little less sweaty from the humidity. He was back in his overalls and reached into his rucksack to pull out the other Moondrop flower he picked.

"Here's to the most beautiful lady in the world," he gave her the flower and she giggled.

"Ohh Jack, you still make me blush like a little girl," He couldn't help but smile. She was such a sweetheart...how did he get so lucky?

After walking her to her house and returning to the farm, Jack pulled out his cellphone he used a weeks worth of farming income to buy from a neighboring city. He dialed a number he knew like the back of his hand, but hadn't made the effort to reach for awhile. After three rings, a male answered.

"Hello?"

"Hey James,"

"Jack? Is that you?"

"Yes, it's me. Hey you know how you've always wanted to come visit, right? Well I think you should come stay for a few weeks," Jack offered.

"Hmm..I think I could get two weeks vacation...sure! When you want me to come out?"

"How about in...two days?"

After setting the date, they agreed that it was time to catch up. After all, Jack needed his brother to be at his wedding.


	2. Chapter 2

SuperVada- Thanks! It's a slow start at first, but I promise it'll pick up! And in the actual game series, I don't think he does have a brother, I just added it to this story to help create the plot.

Thank you to anyone who's reading! Please review and let me know what you think, I'd love the feedback! Also, I do not own Harvest Moon or any of its characters.

**Chapter Two**

Jack smiled at his cow as he stroked it with the brown animal brush. He bought her in the late winter, so she still hadn't quite warmed up to him just yet, but he was making slight progress. She moo'd in response to the brush. After finishing up with her, he wondering if it might be time to splurge and go for a sheep. He was not too sure about that one though, because sheep kind of freaked him out a bit. He had no idea why, they just did.

As he was watering the fields, he heard a sweet voice call his name.

"Mr. Jack, where are you?" he smiled and turned to face his best friend, Elli. She was the only one in the village who called him 'Mr. Jack' because she knew he thought it was silly to still call him that.

They had met shortly after Jack first arrived, when he had no idea the toll a farm could take on one's body. He overexerted himself on the second day on his farm and ended up in a hospital bed, waking up to see a brunette with pretty eyes and very fair skin. From that day forward, he always saw her as sort of his savior. If he had ever felt sick or just down, she was always there to help him.

"Hey, Ell," he smiled at her. She skipped to him. She was just a few months younger than he, but she still acted as innocent as a child. She was very stern with her younger brother, Stu, and sometimes even her patients, but when she was not at work, she reverted back into 'young, playful mode.'

"So, what's up? What brings you to my humble acres?" he asked playfully, opened his arms as if to display the scenery around him.

"Well, I was just wondering if you wanted to come eat some lunch with me? I made sandwiches!" Jack wondered why he didn't notice the basket before. He must have been very distracted by something.

"Hmm...what kind of sandwiches?" he asked, holding his chin with a brow raised. She grinned, then smirked.

"Only your favorite...peanut butter and jelly with apple slices!" Ohhh, she was good...that was Jack's absolute favorite. It sounds weird, yes, but the flavor and crunchiness of the apple actually adds an interesting flare to the taste buds. He just could not turn it down.

"Wait a minute...what is the occasion?" he asked, slightly confused. Elli hadn't asked him to eat lunch since last fall.

She put her hands around her back and looked up at the sky. "Weeeeell...I just heard around the grapevine...more specifically, Jeff from the Supermarket...that _you_, Mr. Jack, have bought a blue feather!" she exclaimed excitedly. Jack's face turned red. How dare he? That's Karen's father, and he's telling everyone?

She noticed the look on his face then quickly said, "Oh no, don't worry Jack! He swore that Karen has no idea," he loosened up a bit.

"Good...cause it's supposed to be a very special night for us. There's no way I'm going to let anyone ruin the surprise,"

After finishing his chores real quick, he and his best friend set off to the mountains. They found a quiet spot by the lake, underneath a few trees to eat.

Jack ate his sandwiches so fast, that he could feel his stomach start to ache. Elli, always attuned to people's emotions, noticed and giggled.

"Here ya go," she pulled a bottle out of her basket along with a spoon and poured him some medicine. "This will help a stomach that is allowed no time what-so-ever to take it slow," she smiled and spoon-fed him, smiling. Even though she was more childish acting occasionally, she was always taking care of him.

She put the spoon away and sat back. "Oh boy, she is gonna have a heck of a time dealing with you, isn't she?" She asked, sitting back on her hands.

He grinned and nodded. "If you aren't sick of me by now, I'm sure Karen will be fine. She has more of a tolerance for people than you do," he joked, but she didn't find it too funny and lightly punched him in the leg and he just laughed. It was funny when she tried to pretend to be offended.

Elli decided to stay at the spa for a bit after the lunch while Jack headed back to the farm. Everything was done for the day, so he decided to head inside, maybe watch the news and cook a quick dinner. What he didn't expect to see when he walked in was his brother, James, sitting on the sofa, flipping through the channels on the television, obviously frustrated.

"Hey, bro!" he got up, walked to Jack, and hugged him.

Jack stood there, slightly confused as he hugged his brother back. "What are you doing here? I thought you wouldn't be here till tomorrow,"

"Well, they could only give me a ticket for a flight out today, because that's all they had available this week," he said, now letting his brother go. Jack nodded in an "ahhh, I see" sort of fashion.

"So, when do I get to meet this lucky lady?" he asked, elbowing Jack in the side gently.

"Eh...well..." Jack started, nervously scratching his head.

"What's wrong?"

"Well, I haven't asked her...to marry me yet,"

James stepped back, slightly stunned and disappointed. "You had me come all the way out here for a wedding when you haven't even proposed yet?"

"I'm asking her tomorrow night, don't worry. And besides, I've really wanted you to stay a little while. It's been so long since I've seen you, and I miss my big brother," Jack tried to smooth it over to save from his brother getting any more angry. He thought about it for a second, then smiled.

"Yea, I guess it's cool to get a break from the city," he said. He put his arm around Jack's shoulder. "You know, I can kind of see why you wanted to settle out here. So nice and peaceful,"

He pulled his arm back and went to set back on the couch, and pointed at the TV. "Except you have _got_ to get something, anything on this television..._ESPN _would be amazing,"

Jack grinned. He really missed James.


End file.
